Attention Shoppers
by Andorian Ice Princess-AIP
Summary: Eddie what seems to be the problem today? Greg you'll never guess what Sophie wants me to do…take Clark shopping Ed/Clark Ed/Greg My 200th story and 10 year anniversary on fanfic!


**Title: Attention Shoppers**

**Summary:** Eddie what seems to be the problem today? Greg you'll never guess what Sophie wants me to do…take Clark shopping.

**Disclaimer: ** Ah you know write? Ed's with me and well yeah that's about it…lol

**A/N: Okay so this is just so fitting that I am posting today. TODAY IS MY TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY ON FANFICTION! (YAY ME!) lol sorry had to honk my own horn today. PLUS this is my 200****th**** story (yay again)! And what better way to celebrate that then with a story from my current fave fandom centering around my absolute fave TV character (love you Eddie)!**

**Okay so I know that for american's black Friday is the busiest shopping day of the year but there are lots of Canadian retailers who also have amazing sales to keep us CND shoppers north of the border so that's the premise of this story since I couldn't wait until boxing day to write this (blame my muse Alice!) lol**

BTW happy turkey day to my FP US peeps :D

(and yes I know this title is from an eppy but I thought it fit here – so please don't get mad b/c its not associated with the eppy in any way)

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><p>"Okay talk to me Eddie, you nearly chewed off Spike's head for tossing a paper cup into the bottle recycling bin."<p>

"You know…I'm stressed…that's all," Eddie groans as he turns to leave.

"Wait a minute," Greg's hand snakes out and stops his team lead from leaving the room. "Stay here and tell me what is the problem."

"Boss, it's personal," Ed insists as he tries to leave once more.

"Right but if personal problems are affecting your game then I gotta know about it."

"Recycling?"

"Sam get the bike?"

"Well it was faster than running after the suspect," Ed retorts with his back to Greg.

"Eddie."

Ed turns back to look at Greg and just shakes his head, before his lips purse into a somewhat nervous smile. "You know…okay forget it…it's not a problem it's just…stupid and I'm overreacting."

"Right and you never overact to anything at all," Greg sighs. "I thought everything was going good at home. You said you and Sophie worked out a better schedule, Izzy is sleeping through…"

"Yeah she is and it's all good…boss it's fine, really."

"Ed you are not leaving here until you tell me what is going on."

Ed looks at Greg and offers a small frown as his mind thinks back to the morning; to a discussion he had with his wife about the following day.

_'Sophie you can't be serious.'_

_'It'll be some great male bonding time for you two.'_

_'Then I can take us to the hockey game or camping or something but…'_

_'Ed I promised Cathy that Izzy and I would spend the day with her and Annabelle.'_

_'Clark is old enough to go with his friends.'_

_'He can do that later. Besides he doesn't have that much money.'_

_'Oh what so now I have to pay for all this too? Are you serious?'_

_'I am and you will.'_

"I know that look…you my friend look almost panic-stricken."

"Sophie wants me to take Clark shopping – tomorrow."

"Why tomorrow?"

"Because the retailers are having black Friday sales and Sophie wants me to take Clark…"

"And you don't want to go shopping with your son?" Greg asks slowly as he holds back a snicker, trying to picture Ed drowning in a sea of teenage shoppers. "I think she wants you to bond with him Ed, isn't that the point?"

"When's the last time you were at a mall…on a major shopping day? Boxing day?"

"Personal or professional?" Greg teases. "I can't recall."

"Exactly," Ed huffs.

"In my defense, my son has only come back into my life recently. So you know..."

"That isn't fair," Ed frowns.

"I don't think the point is shopping Ed."

"Crowds? Have you seen the crowds? It'll me be waiting by the cashier while Clark scouts the store and then waits for me to pay," Ed sighs. "Five minutes in and I'll be praying for a shoplifter to emerge so I can pull my gun and clear the store. I mean seriously Greg…me surrounded by a million teenage shoppers all trying to get the latest Justin Bieber CD? I can't handle that."

"Okay…" Greg chuckles, "first off leave your gun at home."

"I wasn't going to take it."

"I know it sounds..."

"Lame?" Ed arches his brows. "Shopping is lame."

"Fine lame but trust me it's not about that and you know it."

"Why don't you and Dean meet us for lunch?"

"Really?"

"Please," Ed nearly begs. "Knowing I have something to look forward to will keep me sane."

"And who says family time is lost on my team leader."

"Funny. Come on Greg, just lunch. I'm takin' him to the ACC for dinner."

"Well that's cool."

"Yeah I know. Lunch?"

"Okay fine, where?"

XXXXXXXX

It wasn't long after Ed had closed his eyes that night that his already worried mind was dragging him into a nightmarish world where he was handing over his VISA while his son bought a brand new Porsche 911, a huge projection 3-D TV, a talking robot and a giant stuffed gummy bear teddy?

"Damn it," Ed groans in a soft whisper as he rolls over onto his side and glares angrily at the clock. It was already early morning and already he was tired from having to endure his son's seemingly endless shopping spree on his hard earned VISA.

"So we're going to the mall first right dad?" Clark asks with a broad smile as he walks into the kitchen and up to Ed who is pouring himself a strong cup of coffee.

"Clark you really wanna go shopping with me?"

"Can I just take your VISA?" Clark counters.

"Nice try."

"So I guess you have to. I wanna go."

"Since when does the parent have to obey the child?" Ed groans, making Clark laugh.

"Come on dad, it'll be fun."

"Fun?" Ed retorts with arched brows. "Me nearly getting trampled to death while you shop around?"

"Well you can shop to," Clark suggests eagerly. "You could use a new jacket."

"What's wrong with the dark blue one I have?"

"Didn't it used to be black?" Clark mocks and Ed just shakes his head as he tries to hide the small smile. "Plus you could get a gift for mom," Clark suggests as Ed looks back up. "Or not," Clark quickly shrugs. "But I'm sure once you're there and see the good deals you'll be glad you agreed."

"Now you're negotiating me?" Ed lightly chuckles. "Talk about role reversal."

"Or not."

"Clark, we're going. Plus we're gonna meet Greg and Dean for lunch."

"Really, but we're still having dinner at the ACC right?"

"That I am really looking forward to."

XXXXXXXX

_Is it too late to pull rank and tell my son to forget this? _Ed's mind inwardly groans as he slowly navigates their Ford Flex through the underground parking lot of the busy downtown Eaton Center, figuring it was a central place and the only one where he could make note of where they parked. _What was I thinking? This place is insane!_

"Hey can you park in the police spot?" Clark asks as they slowly meander past the open and clearly marked stall.

"Not in this, I'll get a ticket."

"But you outrank them right?" Clark wonders, making Ed just smile. "Doesn't the SRU like outrank everyone?"

"Sometimes we wish, sure would make it easier to shoot first and never answer questions later."

As much as he was actually dreading entering the crowd infested zoo a few levels up he had to admit that he was having fun with Clark, talking with him, listening and bonding with his teenage son. Wordy was stuck with shopping for his girls but since he would see his best friend and their family on the weekend it didn't matter if they didn't meet up today. Actually he wants Clark to befriend Dean, hoping that Greg can see that his son has at least one friend he knows comes from a descent family.

"Ready?" Clark asks eagerly, hardly able to get out of the car fast enough and join the frenzied mob.

"Let's do this," Ed nods as they get out of the car and head for the escalator to go up. Ed merely shakes his head as they near the top floor to see it teaming with myriads of people, all milling around like little worker ants, coming and going from various stores.

"Clark? Clark!" Ed calls out as he looks around for his son.

"Stay with me dad," Clark groans as he grabs onto Ed's arm and pulls him in the direction of a store he wants to go into.

"What's Hollister?"

"It's a great store."

"What do you buy there?" Ed frowns as Clark passes by two girls that smile and save. "Okay I get it," Ed mumbles to himself as he follows after Clark who ducks into the store and heads for a table with t-shirts. "Can't you get these at Walmart?"

"Shh dad," Clark scolds. "You've been hanging around mom too long. Walmart's lame."

"Clark, it's a t-shirt," Ed counters.

"These are better."

"Right," Ed nods with a heavy sigh as he looks around. _Okay can I spot a shoplifter? Please…anyone? How about a jumper? Shut down the mall…call in the team…._His mind begs in futility as his son looks up at him and laughs. "What?"

"Dad you look scared."

"I'm waiting for someone to commit a crime."

"Well if you want I can walk out of here and not pay," Clark teases.

"How much is that?"

"Twenty bucks."

"What? Maybe you should," Ed deadpans, making Clark look at him in shock. "Clark, I'm kidding. You really want that?"

"Dad I can buy it…I have money."

"I don't mind," Ed replies as he snatches the t-shirt.

"Hey this one would look good on you and they have it in an extra large."

"Extra large?" Ed asks in shock. "Son I'm not…"

"Dad these are you know…teen sizes."

"First off I'm not an extra large. Secondly there is no way I could ever wear a Hollister tee in public, I'd never hear the end of it," Ed groans as he takes Clark's t-shirt and heads for the check-out. "Can't imagine what the team would say."

"Find everything you wanted Sir?"

"Sir," Ed mutters under his breath as he pulls his VISA.

"Yeah I did."

After that, he allowed Clark to drag him into another clothing store where he could only stand by and watch as his son talked to two girls that were more than taken by the cute teen. As he watches his son, talk and laugh with them he can only watch and smile, reminding himself how lucky he is to have a great kid like Clark. But hearing one of them say _'your dad's cool and his son agree' _really was the best part of the morning, everything else just kinda faded into the background.

"How much is it?" Ed asks in a low tone as he stands before a three-way mirror in the men's section of Danier Leather.

"Fits you amazingly," the salesman praises. "Notice the notched collar that…" his voice rattles on as Ed looks over at Clark who gives him the thumbs up.

"Okay I get all that, but how much is it?" Ed asks again, making Clark just snicker, before Ed's exasperated expression quickly fades.

"That's a good deal right dad?"

Ed looks over at his son and just smiles as he asks the sales clerk for a few more moments alone.

"What's wrong?" Clark asks as he watches the male sales clerk leave.

Ed looks at the puzzled expression on his son's face but thinks twice before telling him the _real_ truth. The black leather motorcycle style jacket was a good deal and did fit perfectly.

"You really think it looks good?"

"Yeah mom will think you look hot in it," Clark answers with an eager smile.

"Well in that case maybe I'll take it."

"Really? But it's kinda expensive."

"You said it was a good deal," Ed replies as his hand ruffles Clark's hair before his arm gently wraps around his neck and he pulls his son closer to him. "Come on lets go find something for mom," he tells his son as he carries the jacket to the cashier.

"What are you gonna buy mom?" Clark asks as they slowly shuffle through the crowd to another part of the large mall.

"Oh I can buy it later."

"Why not now?"

"Maybe it's private," Ed answers with a smile.

"Oh like lingerie or something?" Clark retorts with a small flush. "You can…I don't mind. I mean I know you guys…"

"You know we what?"

"Uh…yeah never mind," Clark stammers in embarrassment as Ed laughs.

"Have sex?"

"Yeah second thought…gross."

"What's gross?" Ed laughs.

"Your parents having sex? That's just wrong somehow."

"How do you think you got here buddy?"

"Stork?" Clark teases as they near Victoria's Secret. "Yeah I'll wait out here."

"Probably for the best," Ed nods as he heads inside.

Clark watches his father enter the store and laughs to himself as watches him being approached by two attractive women, overtly friendly with him. About twenty minutes later he watches his father emerge out of the store with a small bag in hand.

"It's not very big," Clark notes with a frown.

"That's the point," Ed winks and then smiles as Clark just groans. "Okay where to next?"

"See I was right."

"About what?"

"You are having fun."

"Yeah just don't tell anyone else," Ed smirks as they head toward another store. Finally it was time to head out of the mall and down a few blocks for lunch with Greg and Dean.

"Hey you survived," Greg calls out as he watches Ed and Clark near them. "And did you have to arrest anyone?"

"Unfortunately no," Ed smiles a Clark.

"He kept hoping," Clark slightly groans as Ed chuckles.

"Yeah my dad too," Dean pipes up as he and Clark step aside a few feet.

"So…how has it been so far?" Greg asks in a low tone.

"Actually fun," Ed admits in truth. "I'm glad I came. Trust me this shopping with your teenage kid is a whole other world."

"Yeah I know," Greg nods with a small frown of his own.

"And you? How's your day been so far?"

Greg glances over at Dean and Clark who were book looking at something on Dean's phone and laughing and then he looks back at Ed and smiles. "Perfect. But we're just getting started."

"Really? Well if you are going into the mall you might wanna avoid…" Ed's voice trails off as the four of them are finally shown to their booth and sit down for a much needed break.

"Dad, Clark went to Hollister we have to also," Dean pipes up, making Greg's smile widen at the affectionate term _dad._

"What's Hollister?" Greg looks over at Ed.

"Oh it's a great store," Ed replies with a slight mock.

"You're lying."

"Greg, I think you're missing the point about bonding with your son," Ed teases.

"Truck duty for you my friend on Monday. See I can pull rank."

"Ouch," Ed frowns as both teens laugh. "Not funny."

Ed notices the happy look of contentment on Greg's face as he looks at something silly that Clark and Dean had created on his phone and then looks over at his son and smiles. A few hours earlier he was dreading the outcome of today, figuring he'd just go home stressed and never wanting to hear the words…"attention shoppers, special in…" ever again. But now he knows he wouldn't have traded the past few hours for anything; to be able to bond with his son, laugh, talk and grow their friendship really was as Greg put it 'perfect'.

"Okay so what are we having? Lunch is on me," Greg suggests getting three very hearty 'yes's in unison.

**THE END!**

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><p><strong>AN: ** Okay so I had fun writing this and hope you liked it as well. I can only imagine Ed in a sea of teens lol wanting to go postal for sure. Please review before you go and thanks so much! And thanks in advance for your special 10 year anniversary reviews - they will mean something extra special today!

**PS**: for anyone who doesn't know Danier Leather is the premiere place to buy anything leather in Canada well at least IMHO :D


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